Jump to content

Airbrushing MM metalizers


Recommended Posts

I'm sure it's been said before so if I'm :deadhorse1: , I appologize. I started painting my 1/48 P-51D today with MM metalizers. I made sure the plastic was polished and cleaned before applying the paint. The first coat I sprayed was Aluminum Plate using a double action airbrush. What is the recomended PSI setting for your airbrush to paint such a thin paint? How long do you let it dry before you buff it(is the 10 minutes the bottle says good)? After I spray on the metalizer sealer will I be able to mask over it to apply ID bands and what not? Any other recomendations would be much appreciated!

Side note: I'm building two NMF mustangs, is it worth trying bare metal foil on the second one? Is it a lot harder/easier than metalizers? Thanks for the help.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I usually spray them at very low pressure, about 6-8 psi. They do not need much pressure as they are very thin.I would be very careful applying masks even after the sealer is down as the metallizer is not bonded very well to the plastic and you will pull the sealer up and the metallizer. It is best to work opposite and spray your colors first and then mask and spray your metallizers last.I polish or buff the metallizer after only a couple of minutes while it is still very soft on the plastic as I think it buffs up better. Bare metal foil is just as or even more difficult to apply than metallizers.It takes time to get the hang of applying foil to look really good and them you are dealing with apply foil on compound curves etc and getting to down without any creases. I think kitchen foil is much better to use and stretches better and does not tear as easy as bare metal foil.

I would build the second one without foil and paint all your normal colors etc first. Mask them and then spray your metallizers, polish and then a light coat of sealer and then unmask the color portions that you have masked. Remove the masks very quickly after you have sprayed the sealer.

Edited by Yasa
Link to post
Share on other sites

I spray at the same pressures as my other paints 15-20psi (nothing special)

You can buff as soon as you like, it dries to the touch almost instantly (if applied thin)

I used the sealer once (the 1st time I used MM) and do not like it, it killed the appearance of the metal finish making it look like silver paint.

One thing I did learn since then is that if you use a sealer or gloss you can restore the metallic finish with a very light cote of Clear Flat.

Also, when the bottle gets empty (after long term use) and the paint dries in the bottom, it is still usable, just dig out a small amount of the sludge/powder and add a bit of lacquer thinner, it will spray as if it were new.

You can also dip small parts into the new/wet paint if you don't want to fire up the A/B just to spray a small part (I've dipped Aim-9 seeker heads into it).

Curt

Link to post
Share on other sites

After I spray on the metalizer sealer will I be able to mask over it to apply ID bands and what not? Any other recomendations would be much appreciated!

I've never tried the metalizer sealer, but I'd advise caution when masking metalizer with anything stickier than a Post-It note. I prefer to use the wet-masking technique when dealing with such fragile finishes:

  1. Get some good quality gift wrap tissue. The stuff from Hallmark shops is good. Don't use the Dollar Store stuff as it disintegrates when wet.
  2. Cut small strips/squares of tissue to outline the area to be painted
  3. Dip the tissue in water and apply to the model.
  4. Paint the desired area
  5. Remove the tissue strips
  6. Repeat as necessary

The wet tissue has just enough "tack" to stay in place when airbrushing at low pressure (<= 15 psi), and it will not damage the underlying paint. Try to spray at right angles to the surface if possible in order to avoid blowing air up under the edge of the tissue. Low pressure and thin paint are the key. Keep an eye-dropper full of water handy in order to re-moisten the tissue while painting. It can dry out rather quickly, and without sufficient moisture it won't adhere. The key benefit of using gift wrap tissue paper is that is very thin so it can conform to surface details. Also, when it's wet it becomes translucent (think of a wet T-shirt :) ) so you can see the surface details beneath it. This can help you in getting it positioned properly.

It takes a bit of practice, but it's worth it IMHO in order to guarantee 100% that the paint job won't be damaged. I use this technique with all Metalizers and some of the more fragile Alclads too. Here are some examples:

F-86F

F-84G

F-104C

F-100D

Link to post
Share on other sites

Reduced tht PSI down to around 10 and it made my life much easier and the results looked a million times better. I went ahead and used the metalizer sealer since I already bought it and was still content with the results. I can see the slight difference in before and after shine using the sealer but I think it's ok as a learning experience. I went and bought the first bottle of future, so I'll try some of that later in the process to bring back a higher shine. The help is making a huge difference and I appreciate all the shared knowledge. I'll slap some picks up after it's finished. It'll be done as "Dallas Doll" in honor of the girlfriend.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...